Lubricating system



Aug. 25, 1931. E. sxMMoNs LUBRI CATING SYSTEM Filed Sept. 6, 1927 w# ..f F/ 4p A.

latented Aug. 25, 1931 P AT 'E I LEON E. SIMMONS, OF CLAREMONT, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR TO SULLIVAN MCEINIRY HPANY, A CGRPOR-ATON OF MASSACHUSETTS LUBRICATING SYSTEM Application tiled September G, 192.7, Serial No. 217,745,1and in Great Britain August 9, 1927.

My invention relates to lubrication systems andinore particularly to lubrication systems especially adapted to use in mining machines of the electrically propelled type.

5 In modern, very low mining machines in which electric motor drive is employed and in which by reason of the very low height of the machine the gearing necessarily fills substantially the whole of the vertical height of the '.110 machine, diiculty has been encountered due to the fact that lubricant providing a bathfor the gearingl and maintained at a ysufhcient level to successfully lubricate the same stands at a higher level in the casing than the lowest 15 peint in the armature shaft, with resultant possibility of leakage of lubricant into ythe motor arc-und and along the shaft and lso injury to the windings ofthe motor.

lt is an object of the present inventionto provide an improved arrangement whereby inv any, and particularly in a low and compact mining machine access of oil to the motor windings of an electric driving motor may be prevented. It is a further object of the invention to provide improved means whercbv a high lubricant level may be maintained in the gearing chamber of'a mining machine while avoiding the possibility. of injury to the windings of a motor which ac'-4 tuates the gearing. Other objects and advantages of the invention will subsequently appear.

In the accompanying drawings7 in which I have shown for purposes of illustration one embodiment which the invention may assume in practice7 y i Fig. 1 is a plan view, with parts omitted and other parts shown'in dotted outline, of a minin machine in which the illustrative elnbodiment of this invention is incorporated.

Fig. i2 is a combined side elevation and sectional. view of the feed end of the mining machine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view on enlarged scale with parts broken away to show detailsin section of such mining machine.

Fig. l is a section on the line 4.-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detail in plan. i

Fig. 6 is a central section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 isa View taken on line 2f-T of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, a mining machineigenerally designated 1 and comprising .a motor section 2, a cutter section 3, and a feed section 4 is shown in Fig. 1. The motor seca5 tion'2 contains an electric motor having an armature 5 which drives through suitable gearing a cutter chain 6, which constitutes the cutting device ofthe mining machine Vand which is supported for orbital movement 1160 upon afcutter bar 7. The machine is propelled and the cutter bar swung by feed mechanism, which is enclosed in the section il and which effects'the functions stated with the aid of a feed chain 9.

It is highly `important for the proper operation lof the feeding mechanism to provide proper lubrication forthe gearing. The feed section l comprises two gearing enclosing compartments 10 and 11, theformer contain- 70 ing most of the gearing and the latter containing certain initial driving e'lements of the gearing. The gearing need not be shown in detail as it is, per se, not my invention, bei-ng the invention of one Morris l). Holmes and 175 coveredin his application Ser. No. 136,@15, but it may be noted that the motor armature `fis mounted upon a shaft 12 which supports a vdriving pinion 13, pinion 13 meshes with and drives a larger gear 14: on a stud 14a, 1% while the gear 111 drives a gear 15 mounted `on a shaft 16 and driving a bevel pinion 17. Shaft 16 extendsthrough the wall between chambers 11 and 10. Tie bevel pinion 17 drives a bevel gear 18 which effects rotation @35 of a worm 19 mounted upon a shaft 20. Flhe gear elements 17, 18 and 19 and all the remaining elements of the feed gearing are en,- closed in the chamber 10 while the pinion 13 and `the gears 14 and 15 are venclosed in the 'igchamber 11. It is found desirable in prac-r tice to have a lubricant 'level 'in the cham-ber 1() above the horizontal plane in which the bottom of the armature shaft 12 lies., but' obviously, even though a heatherv or other suit- -95 able packing means 21 is provided to preclude flow of oilfrom' the chamber 11 longitudinally of the yarmature shaft and so into the motorcasing, there would be serious-danger of injury-to themot'or if the oil levelwere to l be permitted to stand in the chamber 11 above the level of the bottom of the ring 21. To minimize entrance of oil to the chamber 11 from the chamber 10 around the shaft 16 a leather washer 22 is placed to the inside of gear 17, but while this is quite effective it is not absolutely certain, and so it is essential to provide for the removal of the oil from the chamber 11 as rapidly as it enters. This is effectively accomplished by the coaction ofV the gear elements 13, 14 and 15 and a spout element 23 which is supported in the wall 24 separating a part of the chamber 10 from the chamber 11, the spout having an opening 25 through which the oil may be discharged and a flattened, wide, straight mouth 26 to receive oil. The gear elements 13, 14 and 15 pick up lubricant with their lateral edges, and irrespective of the direction of motor rotation, lubricant is thrown to the top wall 24a of the chamber 11 from which it falls upon or is discharged into the mouth of the spout 23. As a result even with the oil level in the casing or chamber 10 above the central horizontal plane of the machine, the oil in the chamber 11 is constantly maintained at a level approximately as shown at 27 in Fig. 4. Suitable auxiliary provision for protecting the motor and discharging oil which might suce ceed in passing along the shaft 12 is provided and is shown in part at 28 in Fig. 2, but since the oil level is maintained below the base of the ring 21 at all times when the motor is running, the danger of injury to the motor is greatly reduced. y

From the foregoing description it will be evident that when the motor is running, oil which passes into the chamber 11 is picked up by the gear 15 and if the oil level be high enough when the motor is started, also by the gear elements 13 and 14 and transferred from one to another until it reaches top wall 24 of the chamber 11, from which it enters, and is discharged by means of, the spout 23 into the chamber 10 and so precluded from securing access to the motor housing 2. As a result of this improvement, a much more perfect safeguard against oil is provided and a longer life and freedom from interruption in operation of the motor is secured.

While I have in this application specifically described one form which my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this form of the same is shown for purposes of illustra tion and that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

l/Vhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, a motor housing containing a motor having a power shaft, a gear housing adjacent said motor housing and containing in termeshing gearing driven by said motor and the main interior portion of said gear hous-' ing and including lubricant dischargeV means adjacent the top of said small compartment.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, a motor housing in which a motor having'a power shaft is disposed, a gearv housing adjacent said motor housing, the interior of said gear housing being divided into a main gear chamber and an initial gear chamber and said initial gear chamber being adjacent theA motor housing with the power shaft of the motor projecting thereinto, the initial gear chamber containing intermeshing gearing driving the gearing in said main chamber and said chambers containing a lubricant for the gearing, means for supplying lubricant to said initial gear chamber, and means for maintaining a lubricant level in said initial gear chamberrbelow the bottom of the motor power shaft including certain gears in said initial gear chamber driven by said power shaft and throwing lubricant, and means disposed inthe same vertical plane with said lubricant throwing gears for receiving the lubricant so` thrown and conveying it into themain gear chamber.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, a motor housing in which a motor having a power shaft is disposed, a gear housing adjacent said motor housing, the interior of said gear housing being divided into a main gear chamber and an initial gear chamber and said initial gear chamber being adjacent the motor housing'with the power shaft of the motor projecting thereinto, the initial gear chamber containing intermeshing gearing driving the gearing in said main chamber and saidchambers containing a lubricant for the gearing, means for supplying lubricant to said initial gear chamber, and means for maintaining a lubricant level in saidv initial gear chamber below the bottom 'of the motor power shaft including certain gears in said initial gear chamber driven by said power shaft and throwing lubricant, and means for receiving the lubricant so thrown and conveying it into the main gear chamber, said lubricant receiving and conveying means including aspout in the same vertical plane 'with the lubricant throwing gears.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, a motor housing in which a motor having a power shaft is disposed, a gear housing adjacent said motor housing, the interior of said gear housing being divided into la main gear chamber and an initial gear means for maintaining a lubricant level insaid initial gear chamber below the botto-1n of the motor power shaft including certain gears in said initial gear chamber driven by said power shaft and throwing lubricant, and means for receiving the lubricant so thrown and conveying it into the main gear chamber, said lubricant receiving and conveying means including a. spout in the same vertical plane with the lubricant throwing gears and adj acent the top of said housing.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, a casing having a chamber in which a ypower shaft is disposed, a' compartment into which said shaft projects and containing intermeshing gearing driven by said shaft and a second compartment containing gearing driven by said first mentioned gearing, said compartments containing a lubricant for the gearing, means permitting a restricted flow of lubricant from said Vsecond compartment to said first compartment, and means for precluding the entry of lubricant from said first mentioned compartment to said chamber along said power shaft including means for automatically discharging lnbricant from said first mentioned compartment to said second mentioned compartment and having lubricant discharge means adja cent the ,tops of said compartments.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, a casing having a chamber in which a power shaft is disposed, a compartment into which said shaft projects and containing a gearing driven from said shaft, a second compartment containing gearing driven from said gearing, said compartments containing a lubricant for the gearing, means permitting a restricted flow of lubricant from'said second compartment to said Vfirst compartment, and means for maintaining the level of the lubricant in said first mentioned compartment below the bottom of the power shaft including means disposed in the same vcrtical plane with the gears in said first mentioned compartment for receiving the lubricant thrown by said latter gears and conveying it into said second mentioned compartment.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a driving motor enclosed in a housing, a main gear chamber into which the end of the motor shaft extends and-which contains a train of intermeshing reductiongearing driven from said motor shaft and a lubricant, a-lubricant containing compartment partitioned off from the gear chamber and arranged to enclose the end of the motor shaft and the initial gear elements of the aforesaid train, means for supplying lubricant to said compartment, and means for auton'iatically maintaining the lubricant level in said compartment below the lowest point on said motor shaft.

` 8. In' an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a driving motor enclosed in a housing, a main gear chamber '.ito which the end of the motor shaft eX- tends and which contains a train 0f intermeshing reduction gearing driven from said motor shaft and a lubricant, a lubricant containing compartment partitioned off from the gea-r chamber and arranged -to enclose the end of the motor shaft and the initial gear elements of the aforesaidtrain, means for permitting a restricted flow of lubricant from said chamber to said compartment, and meansl for automatically maintaining the lubricant level in said compartment below the lowest point on said motor'shaft and including means associated with the compartment aforesaid for returninglubricant received therein to the main gear chamber.

9. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a driving motor enclosed in a housing, a main gear chamber into which the end of the motor shaft eX- tends and which contains a train of intermeshing reduction gearing driven from said motor shaft and a lubricant, a lubricant containing compartment partioned off from the gearchamberand arranged to enclose the end 0f the motor shaft and the initial gear. elements of the aforesaid train, means'permitting a restricted flow of `lubricant from said gear chamber to said compartment, and means for automatically maintaining the v lubricant level in said compartment belowk the lowest point on said motor shaft, the initial gear elements located in the compartments aforesaid being so arranged that by their rotation they actv to discharge lubricant, said automatic means including a transfer device adapted to receive the lubricant so discharged and return the same to the main gear chamber.V i

10. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination'of a driving motor enclosed in a housing, a main gear chamber into which the end of the Vmotor shaft extends and which vcontains* a train of intermeshing reduction gearing driven from said motor shaft and a lubricant, a lubricant containing compartment partitioned oif from the gear chamber and arranged to enclose the end of the motor shaft and the initial gear elements of the aforesaid train, means ilo for restricting yaccess ofllubricant along said motor shaft to the motor, means permitting arestricted flow oflubricant from said gear chamber to, said compartment, and means for automatically maintaining the-lubricant level in said -compartmentbelow the lowest point on said'motor shaft, the-initial gear elements located in the compartments aforesaid being soarranged that by their rotation they act to. discharge lubricant, said automatic mea-ns including a transfer device adapted to receive 'the' lubricant so discharged and return the-same to the main gear chamber.

1l. In anappa-ratus ofthe character described, a motor housing in which a -motor having, a power shaft 1s disposed, agear housing adjacent said motorA housing: and havinga Vertical transverse wall abutting against thel adjacent end, of said Vmotorhousing and a lubricant containingcompartment in said `vgear housing extending transversely alongsaid transverse wall part way across said gear housing, said motorv power shaft extending into said compartment, a second larger lubricant containing compartment extendingl transversely along the side of said iirstrcompartment and thenv rearwardly toward said vertical transverse wall, there beinga vertical longitudinally extending partition between11 said compartments, inter-l meshing gearingdriverr by-said motorpower shaft1 and contained Y in 1 said 1 first f compartment, intermeshing gearing; driven iby said gearing: and :contained inf:1 said l largerI compartment, means permittingxa restricted flow of 4'lubricant from said largerA compartment :to said: iirst compartment, and means'forv automatically maintaining the lubricant level in said first compartment below the-lowestpoint on the motor power shaft,` the intermeshing gearinginsai-d first compartment beingyso arranged 'that by their rotationfthey;l act to discharge lubricant, said automatic Ymeans includinga lubricantspout .carried by said ,verticalf partition between said' comparti ments for receivinglubricantdischarged by saidgearsandreturning, the'v lubricant to said large compartment;

l2. In anA apparatus of the ,character dee scribed, a gear housing: having 5a' :main gear containing` compartment and an initial Agear containing 1 compartment, andM aV lubricant contained in said compartments,-.the gears in said'initialf, compartment driving thezgears in said mainxcompartment,.means fon permit-1 a restricted flowof 'lubricant Vfrom said main .compartment to said iinitialfcompartment,V and means; conveying: the lubricant from the initial compartmentxback to-nthe main compartment to maintain automaticallylthe lubricant level ini theinitiat compart= ment below thelevel of theilubricant 'in the mainv compartment.

ltInfan apparatus ofithe character: de

same. .a spout for receiving the lubricant so splashed and a duct for conductin lubricant fromv said spout back to the mainrcompartment..

14. In. an apparatus of the character described, a. motor housing containing amotor having a power shaft,` a gear casing having a main gear chamber adjacent said-:motor housing and containing lubricating oil-,fan intermediate chamber between theV motor housing and the gear casing and into which f.

said motor power shaft projects and in which the lubricating oil leaking from the main gear chamber of the gear casing is collected, and devices located in the intermediate chamberfor automatically discharging o-il from said chamber so that the oil level in the intermediate chamber is kept belowv the motor shaft.

l5. In an apparatus of the character described, a motorhousing containing` a motor '100 having a power shaft, a gear casing having a main gearv chamber adjacent said motor housing and containing lubricating oil, an intermediate chamber between the motor housing and the gearcasing and into which said motor power shaft projectsand in which the lubricating oil leaking from the main gear chamberof theV gear casing is collected, and devices located in the intermediate cham ber for automatically discharging oil from said chamber so that the oil level in theA intermediate chamber is kept below the'motor shaft and including a discharge device which returns the oil collected from theintermediate chamber directly back to the maingear chamber.:

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

' LEON E. SIMMONS. 

